Initially set up to supply chicken to Biman's flight catering centre, the farm expanded its production line to fish, crops, vegetables and fruits to make best use of land and also to augment cash flow to the national flag carrier.

The expansion undertaken a few years back has already proved right as commercial production of crops, vegetables and fruits on 55 acres of unutilised land of the farm, manned with 83 staff, is generating extra amount of revenue.

Situated at Ganakbari, Savar, about 20 km off Dhaka, the project spreads over a vast 75-acre land of which 15 acres are used for poultry sheds and two acres for residential area. The rest 55 acres of unutilised land were taken up for producing diversified products.

On average, the complex earns Tk 23.02 lakh from paddy, fish, vegetables and fruits a year. "The amount may seem paltry, but it is contributing to steady profit of the project," Anwar Hossain Khan, general manager of the complex, told The Daily Star.

Belying the dismal financial performance of Biman, the poultry project has been making steady profit for the last few years. It made a net profit of Tk 1.46 crore in 2002-03 and Tk 1.31 crore in 2001-02. The highest Tk 2.02-crore profit was made in 1999-2000.

Started its journey in 1980, the project pioneered large scale poultry venture in Bangladesh, Khan said.

The farm maintains international quality and hygienic standard to serve Biman flight catering centre which not only supplies in-flight meals to Biman but also to other international airlines operating in Bangladesh, he added.

The poultry farm produces 35,000 table eggs, 50,000 hatching eggs, 40,000 chicks, 5,000 dressed chicken a week.

In 2002-03, it produced 53,76,699 eggs and 24,03,963 chicks, 2,79,673 kg meat, 8,853 kg liver and 15,565 kg neck, heart, gizzard. In 1998-99, it produced 34,49,795 eggs, 10,46,351 chicks, 2,20,679 kg meat, 8,030 kg liver and 13,832 kg neck, heart, gizzard.

The farm uses latest technology to maintain standard, Khan said. It still has to import parent stock but it is phasing out import through producing parent stock of layer and broiler chicks in the poultry using modern technology.

Apart from supplying to the flight catering centre, the farm also sells its products to general public through a sales centre at Farmgate in Dhaka.